Chile increases spending on Covid-19 and urges caution with Delta variant

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Chilean President Sebastian Piñera on Monday announced a US$2 billion investment in health care to fight the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to threaten the country despite its vaccination program, one of the fastest in the world.

Piñera said the funds will be used to buy an additional 5 million vaccine doses to boost primary care units and to increase capabilities for tracing and sequencing the virus genome.

“The fight against Covid-19 is not over and no one knows when it will end,” Piñera said during a statement.

Concern is mounting in Chile over the more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, which was confirmed in the country last week and has led to a surge in infections elsewhere.

Although it is experiencing a slowdown in cases after a fierce second wave, the country’s health authorities have stepped up border health checks and urged people to wear thicker masks.

Chile has vaccinated 82% of its priority population with at least one dose and 70% are fully immunized against Covid-19.

This week residents aged between 12 and 18 will be immunized.

Piñera said that Chile will vaccinate children between the ages of 3 and 11 as soon as regulatory approval is granted.